Some Seminole County Residents Upset Over Smelly, Dirty Water

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Some Seminole County residents said they’re fed up with dirty, smelly water coming from their faucets.

Dozens of residents in the Stillwater community in Oviedo said they’ve been dealing with sediment in their water for years, so Channel 9’s Julie Salomone asked the county what’s being done to fix the problem.

“It smells like either reclaimed water or sewer,” said homeowner Louie Ciavaglia.

Dirty water in Seminole County

Ciavaglia said the county shut down a water treatment plant close to his neighborhood, and on and off for two years, his tap water hasn’t been the same. He said his neighbors are dealing with the same issue.

“I posted pictures of water that came out of my faucet a week ago,” he said. “It was so black it looked like coffee, and then you run the water for a few minutes, and then it goes away.”

A county spokesperson said some homeowners got a set of guidelines and were told to run all hot water fixtures for 30 minutes and all cold water fixtures for 20 minutes to disinfect the pipes. The spokesperson said the water meets all of the regulatory requirements, but homeowners aren’t taking chances.

“I take a shower with it,” said Ciavaglia. “I use it in the toilets. If were drinking water or my wife’s cooking, it comes out of the refrigerator.”

A meeting with homeowners and county officials is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Evans Elementary School.